"Friends of 9-1-1" Launches Scholarship Program for Emergency Call Takers
WASHINGTON, April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Emergency call takers have a new opportunity for professional education and development as the Friends of 9-1-1 initiative announces the availability of Telecommunicator Continuing Education Scholarships. Applications for the program are being accepted through April 30 and are open to any 9-1-1 call taker with at least one year of experience and good standing with his or her employer.
"Working in 9-1-1 is a rewarding but pressure-packed job," explained Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA – The 9-1-1 Association. "Operators often work long shifts, handling dozens of calls, and often not knowing how or if the various emergencies are resolved. The stress level drives a need for expanded training, professional development, and wellness programs for call takers in nearly every community."
According to Fontes, the pressures on call takers were the impetus for the establishment of the NENA Foundation's Friends of 9-1-1. The initiative was kicked off at a special screening of the film The Call in March 2013, at which Academy Award winner Halle Berry, who plays a 9-1-1 operator in the film, personally praised local 9-1-1 professionals for their lifesaving work.
The scholarships are the first to be made available through the program. Each Telecommunicator Continuing Education Scholarship recipient will receive:
- Complimentary registration to the NENA 2014 Conference & Expo, a savings of $579;
- Complimentary registration for a one-day, pre-conference course of choice at NENA 2014, an additional savings of $225; and
- A $500 travel stipend.
"We are pleased to further support the work of hard-working 9-1-1 professionals," Fontes said. "April is National 9-1-1 Education Month, and April 13-19 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, so the timing is perfect to promote an initiative like this."
Interested applicants can click here to learn more and to apply online. To show your support for the 9-1-1 community and become a Friend of 9-1-1, visit here.
About NENA: The 9-1-1 Association
The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) serves its members and the greater public safety community as the only professional organization solely focused on 9-1-1 policy, technology, operations, and education issues. The association works with public policy leaders; emergency services and telecommunications industry partners; like-minded public safety associations; and other stakeholder groups to develop and carry out critical programs and initiatives to improve 9-1-1; to facilitate the creation of an IP-based Next Generation 9-1-1 system; and to establish industry leading standards, training, and certifications. Find out more at www.nena.org.
SOURCE National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
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